Lecture 1 Notes. "Best Practice Pedagogy"
Six minutes in and I am thinking bugger me.....let's move along! Can these thriggin' internals not sort a study schedule for themselves or read an assessment outline.....c'mon dude.

Outcomes for this lecture (if we ever get there!) *Some housekeeping - *Quick review of active learning; Constructivist Theories and Teacher Effectiveness.*Revisit the key constructivist theorists*Understand implications of constructivism for best Practice Pedagogy. *Understand differences in Learning Styles*Compare old and new approach*Values, Routines, Rules, Classroom Climate and Positive Behaviour.

Active Learning is - (13 minutes in)- Student centered learning. Students are engaged.
Cognitively - focus on active thinking and constructing meaning based on what we're exposed to. Socially - Actively engaging with others, collaborating and working to make sense of what we're exposed to. Generally?- learner is challenged to use his, her mental abilities to learnBehaviorally - actively using and creating materials.

Question could b - what do you understand by active learning?

Define effective teaching - helping learners to construct their own understanding of new information and how they can integrate it with their existing ideas and to apply the new information meaningfully. We help, not make. We facilitate learning.

Best Practice - - Teachers know their content and how their students learn Teacher has command of content and standards expected. -Students centered. -Students encouraged to be self-regulated learners-encourage self belief among all students-recognise multiple intelligences -opportunities to approach problem solving differently-high expectations of students-uphold core values-classroom experiences relevant to real life outside classroom-Classroom environment - welcoming, challenging, motivating, enjoyable

Foundational Basis for Active learning - Effective Teaching is Student Centered, It starts from where eh learner is. For active learning and best practice to occur, it is critical to set the correct context and environment.

Theory of Constructivism - Student builds their own knowledge based on what they already know and how they interpret new knowledge. -Teacher helps to to scaffold information allowing opportunity for students to build on what they already know, -Students build their own fund of knowledge and their own representation of knowing from their own experiences and thought. Term given last year of prior knowledge is - schema! Extend their knowledge - zone of proximal development.

Meaning of constructivism - individuals build their own understandinginstruction organized so students grasp it easilylearners internal mental state and transformations of understanding-enables learners to extend their pathways by building on urrent schemas. -Scaffold instructions so students fill in gaps.Teachers should provide experiences and contexts that make students willing and able to learn

Models of learning - Transmission (jug and model) - students are empty vessels to be filled. We just give them information they take in. Students are sponges.
Contemporary Model - All knowledge is personally constructed based on current schema of previous experiences, -active learning, Piaget 0 interaction with environment 0 vygotsky- social constructivismCo-constructivism 0
Latest model - all knowledge is interpersonally constructed. Social nature of classroom enhances learning. Students achieve greater things together than individually. Co-operation and Collaboration.

Implications and assumptions of constructivist paradigm for our practice. Student - primary responsibility for knowledge constructionTeacher - FacilitatorClassroom - climate creates meaningful contextLearning - is co-operative. Learning - through active learning

What do you expect to see in a constructivist classroom --Learners actively engaged in learning process-learners actively building upon schemas-prior knowledge assessed and being built upon-awareness of weaknesses-scaffolding in place-students practice megacognitive learning.

Implications of Constructivism for Best Practice Pedagogy-All knowledge is CO-CONSTRUCTED (work with others for best outcome) based on previous experiences, personally and socially. -Key teachhing strategies targeted at the learner-To be besr Practice, teaching is student-centered -Teachers role is to

Best Practice Philosophy Underpinning Implementation-Construction of Knowledge is the student's responsibility
Key Theorists -- will upload Amanda's pics.

What do we hope for Australian children to be able to take away from school - My response....An ability to be self directed learners - to be able to construct their knowledge, articulate their beliefs and solve problems they will face. What should we be teaching our children? Not just academic information but building tehm as individuals. Internal(chatter, chatter, chatter) responses - Values (equality, understanding of themselves and others, respect, responsibility, consideration for others, interpersonal and personal skills, team work.
Slide - Australian Values are - Integrity, Excellence, Respect, Responsibility, Co-operation, Participation, Caring, Fairness, Democracy.
Values Based Learning. Best Practice pedagogy promotes Australian values as it promotes -Knowledge and Understanding fro KLA'sSkills and Competences in Problem SolvingLiteracy and NumeracyConfidence in Using TechnologiesSafe and Healthy LifestylesEcological SustainabilityEgalitarianism (? Define that one!)EmployabilitySociability